High power factor and high intensity lamp circuit



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. C. HALL, JR., ET AL 7 HIGH POWER FACTOR AND HIGH INTENSITY LAMP CIRCUIT Filed Jan. 14, 1942 Dec. 28, 1943;

MILL/7RD C. HALL, 17E. & EVER/PETTL. 56577? Dec. 28, 1943. w. c. HALLQJR. ET AL v 2,337,993

HIGH POWER FACTOR AND HIGH INTENSITY LAMP CIRCUIT Filed Jan. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VEIVTORS MLL FED C. MAL 17E. & Evsmesw L- LEGETTE Patented Dec. 28, 1 943 llIGH POWER FACTOR AND HIGH INTENSITY LAMP CIRCUIT Willard 0. Hall, .n., and Everett 1.. Le Gettc, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Alfred P. Daniels,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 14, 1942, Serial No. 426,749

6 Claims.

Thi. application may be considered a companion a plication to an application bearing the same title with the added numeral #1 and which is being filed at the same time as this application.

The invention herein disclosed appertains to electric circuits for providing high power factor and high intensity illumination to gaseous electric discharge lamps wherein the electrodes of the lamps comprise a plurality of cathodes arranged and combined in a manner to provide a plurality of emissive or hot spots on each cathode of each electrode. The lighting result is a lamp having super high intensity illumination without sacrificing the useful life length of the cathodes. This invention is useful in all kinds and types of negative discharge devices, particularly in fluorescent lamp circuits, high pressure mercury vapor lamps, sodium vapor lamps, etc.

An object of this invention is to present a lamp and an electric circuit therefor that is capable of providing super lightiing intensity or normal lighting intensity with substantially everlasting cathodes.

A further object is to present a super-lighting unit and circuit that is dependable, safe and economical to install, maintain and manufacture.

Other objects, advantages and features of our invention will appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, the preamble of these specifications and the appended claims.

Applicants are about to illustrate and describe three forms of their invention in order to teach one how to make, use and vend the same, but it is to be understood that the drawings and description thereof are not to limit the invention in any sense whatsoever, except as limited by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic wiring diagram.

. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken substantially along line 4.4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of still another modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section taken substantially along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 include a gaseous electric discharge tubular lamp I of the fluorescent lined type having end electrodes 2 and 3; each electrode having a plurality of cathodes 4, 5 and 6. The cathodes are low resistance thermionic wires in spiral form having their tops and bottoms fixed to the bar conductors I and 8 respectively. The bar conductors are held in position by rigid conductors 9 and I0 which pass through the usual glass seal or press not shown. A low pressure gas, such as:

' proper voltages.

The transformer unit is preferably a three limbed one having the parallel limbs I3, l4 and I5, formed into a common iron circuit by the laminated iron joining bars l6 and H. The central limb has a primary coil or winding l8, the limb l3 has the secondary windings l9 and I9, and the limb l5 secondary windings 20 and 20'.

Extending from the coils I9 and 20 are the like polarity conductors 2| and 22 respectively, which connect with the support rods 1 and 8 of the electrode 2 through the conductors 9 and I0 respectively. These conductors 2| and 22, where they leave their respective coils are marked with the'positive sign in order to indicate that they have like polarity; for it is to be understood that alternating current is supplied to the primary coil through the conductors 23 and 24, choke coil 23, and hand switch 25. Extending from opposite ends of coils l9 and 20 are conductors 26 and 2'!" which connect to the support rods 1 and 8 of the electrode 3 through the conductors Q and I0 respectively. These ends of the coils are marked with the negative sign to indicate that they have like polarity. By this arrangement, the electrodes 2 and 3 will always have opposite polarity when the lamp is in full operation. The coils l9 and 20' are starter coils for heating the cathodes and for also providing the necessary reactive kick-back to strike the lamp.

The gas switch 28 is shown connected between the conductors 26 and end of coil l9 by the wires 21 and 21', the'gas switch operating to automatically place the electrodes 2- and 3 in series with the starter coils l9 and 20' to heat all the cathodes after the hand switch 25 has been first closed. In a few seconds, the gas switch 28 opens and the reactive discharge of the coils strikes the lamp. The preheating of the cathodes place tively, of the electrode 3|.

them in condition for high electronic emission when the switch 28 opens. When the switch opens, the low pressure gas in the lamp quickly ionizes to form a conduction path or column for the electrons. The cathode temperature is then maintained by electronic bombardment. For a complete understanding of the lamp operation and the operation of the gas switch, references can be had to the patent to Dench, #2,200,443, issued May 14, 1940, entitled Discharge lamp circuit."

All the spots of the electrodes 2 and 3 form paths which seem to merge into a single discharge column of high intensity and which cause the fluorescent. lining of the lamp to glow in great brilliancy, the resulting illumination being much greater than 4 or 5 of the ordinary single hot spot cathode lamps.

Operation It takes about 187 volts to strike the lamp and around 100 volts to close and open the gas switch 28. After the lamp strikes the voltage drop across it falls to 90 volts or less. In view of these conditions, the coils l8 and may be wound for 130 volts each and the coils l9 and 20' for 30 volts each or a combined total of 60 volts.

When the manual switch is closed, the gas switch will close and cause a potential of 190 volts (130+60) across each cathode to heat them. After a few seconds, the gas switch opens and places the cathodes in opposite polarities while the coils l9 and 28, and coils l9 and 26 have a strong inductive kick-back to strike the lamp at 190 volts, the voltage drop across the lamp soon falls to 90 volts or less, in which case the choke coil 23 absorbs the volt-ampere difference between the coils l9-26 and the lamp.

The inventive form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 has a gaseous electric discharge lamp 30 which is the same as the lamp l of Fig. 1, except that the end electrodes 3| and 32 are formed as two crossed cathodes, which do not in this particular embodiment, contact at their centers. The electrodes 3| and 32 each consist of two cathodes 33 and 34, see Fig. 4, which form double hot spots 35 and 36. The ends of the cathodes are supported by conductor rods, the rods 31 and 38 supporting the horizontal cathodes 33, and the rods 38 and 40 supporting the vertical cathodes 34. These rods pass through the usual press or glass seal, not shown, to the outside of the lamp.

The transformer is a three limb affair having laminated parallel outer limbs 4| and 42 and a central limb 43, all limbs being Joined together i by the laminated iron connector bars 44 and 45. On the central limb is a primary coil 46 having end conductor extensions 41 and 48 leading to a source of suitable alternating current through a hand switch 43 and choke coil 48.

On one of the outer limbs of the transformer,

there is a pair of coils 58 and 5| wound together,

the like polar ends of which connect with wires 52 and 53, respectively. These wires 62 and 63 lead to conductor supports 46 and 31 respectively of the electrode 3|. The opposite ends of these coils 60 and SI areconnected with wires 54 and 55, respectively, which lead to the conductor supports 38 and 31 respectively of the electrode 32.

Upon limb 42 are the coils 56 and 51 having their like polar ends connected to wires 58 and 58, respectively, which lead to and connect with conductor rods or supports 38 and 38, respec- Note that all the cathodes of electrode H are fed with like polarity current. The same is true of the cathodes of electrode 32 since the opposite ends-of coils 56 and 51 connect with conductor supports 40 and 38 through wires 60 and 6], respectively.

Coil 56 has an extended winding 62, the end of which is connected to a wire 63 leading to the opposite polarity end of coil 64 which is an additional winding on the transformer limb 4| and a match for coil 62. These coils 62 and 64 are termed starting coils. The other end of starting coil 64 is connected to a gas switch 65 through wire 64' and the other side connects with wire 52 via wire 66. These coils 62 and 64 supply the greater reactivekick necessary to strike the lamp when the gas switch is opened. The positive signs on the transformer are merely used to indicate that these coil ends are all of the same polarity.

Operation This form of the invention operates the same as the one shown in Fig. 1 when the coils 5| and 51 and cathodes 33 of Fig. 3 are ignored, The startin coils 62 and 64 only aid the coils and 56 in starting the vertical cathodes 34. When the tube or lamp 30 strikes with cathodes 34, the horizontal cathodes 33 will strike also. By this circuit, four hot spots are maintained on each electrode with the result that a super lighting unit is provided without in any way shortening the life span of the cathodes.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 include a gaseous electric discharge lamp 61 having end electrodes 68 and 69. Each electrode comprises the cathodes 1'0 and 1|, each of which have double hot spots. The cathodes join at 12 to which is fixed a supporting conductor or bar 13 that passes through the end of the lamp via a glass seal or press not shown. The far ends of the electrodes are fixed to the support conductors orbars 14 and 15 which also pass through the ends of the lamp via glass seals.

The transformer is indicated at 16 having the usual laminated iron core I1, primary coil 18 and secondary coils I9, 86 and 8|. The primary is connected to a source of suitable electric power, preferably 110 volt cycle alternating current, via wires 82 and 83 through a hand switch 84.

The positive current plus marks or signs of the transformer merely indicate like polarity ends of the three secondary coils, and the like polarity ends so marked are connected to the wires 85, 86 and 81, as shown, which connect with the support conductors 15, I3 and 14, respectively, of

the electrode 68. The other ends of these secondary coils are connected to the wires 88, 83 and 96, as shown, and which connect with the support conductors I4, 13 and 15, respectively.

An additional winding or coil 8| connects with the middle of coil 8! and also with a wire 92 lead: ing to one side of the gas switch 83. same as gas switches 28 and of Figs. 1 and 3. A wire 94 connects the other side. of the gas switch with the middle of coil 19. A choke coil is provided for the wire 83. Although all the windings are shown as embodied in a single transformer, it is obvious, that a primary winding may be provided for each secondary winding and hence four indi-- vidual transformers be employed instead of a single one; this is also true of the other forms of the invention. In theparticular form of Figs. 5 and 6, four emissive spots 96, 91, 98 and 99 form on each electrode, two on each side of the center support conductors 13 as shown.

Operation This latter form of the invention has three coils, 19, 80 and 8 I, which are wound for 130 volts and a starter coil 9| wound for 145 volts. When the hand switch 84 is closed, the automatic gas switch 93 soon closes setting a potential of 145 across each electrode for heating them. When the gas switch opens, 275 volts due to inductive reactance strikes the lamp; the lamp being maintained from then on by the 130 volt coils I9, 80

and 8|. I

Having thus described our invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gaseous electric discharge lamp circuit, a lamp having end electrodes, a plurality of sections to each electrode, a transformer having a primary coil and a plurality of secondary coils, leads extending from one like polarity side of the secondary coils to the ends of the sections of one electrode, and leads extending from the opposite like polarity side of the secondary coils to the ends of the sections of the other electrode so that a plurality of spaced hot spots are maintained on each section. J

2. The circuit recited in claim 1 including a switch and a starter winding in series with a plurality of said sections, said switch when closed operating to disrupt the like-polarity condition of the electrodes to heat them, and when the switch is opened, operating to reinstate like-polarity conditions of the electrodes.

3. The circuit recited in claim 1 wherein each electrode has its sections in parallel and each section having spaced apart double emissive spots.

4. In a gaseous electric discharge lamp circuit, a lamp having a first and a second electrode, a

transformer having a. primary winding and a plurality of secondary coils and a starter winding, like polarity leads extending from the coils and connected across the first electrode, and opposite like polarity leads extending from the coils and connected across the second electrode, a switch, said starter winding and switch having a series connection and the ends thereof connected across the unlike polarity ends of the-coils so that when the switch is open the electrodes and coils are in parallel connection and when the switch is closed, one coil and the first electrode are in series connection, and the other coil and the second electrode are in series connection so that a plurality of spaced apart emission hot spots are maintained on each electrode when the lamp is in full operation.

5. The circuit set forth in claim 4 wherein the first and second electrodes each include a plurality of prearranged sections, each of which have a plurality of spaced apart emission spots.

6. In a gaseous electric discharge lamp and circuit, said lamp havin end electrodes, each electrode having a plurality of sections with leadwires extending from the ends thereof, a transformer unit having a primary and a secondary, the secondary comprising a plurality of coils, the like polarity points of the coils having conductors extending therefrom and connecting with the lead-wires of one electrode, one coil end per leadwire; and the opposite like polarity points of the coils having conductors connecting with the leadwires of the other electrode, one coil end per leadwire: said connections forming dual discharge spots on each section of the electrodes when the lamp is in full operation.

WILLARD C. HALL, JR. EVERE'I'I L. LE GETTE. 

